The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for adjusting the positions of selected components in machines, particularly for adjusting the positions of tools and/or tool holders in machines including production lines and other arrangements wherein individual or two or more components must be adjusted independently of or jointly with each other. Still more particularly, the invention relates to apparatus which can be used with advantage in machines wherein one or more components which necessitate frequent, regular or sporadic adjustments are guided for movement along predetermined paths, e.g., along straight or otherwise configurated tracks.
It is often necessary to adjust the position of positions of one or more components (e.g., tool holders) which are movable longitudinally of a common track or along discrete paths. The adjustment can involve a movement of one component relative to each other component, joint movements of two or more components relative to the remaining component or components (either through identical distances or through different distances), or joint movements of all components through identical or different distances. For example, one or more tool holders are likely to require adjustment along a given path in order to account for differences in the dimensions of successively treated workpieces. Examples of such machines are paper making and/or processing machines, grinding machines, special machine tools and many others. A complex machine, e.g., a machine tool or a production line, will often utilize a large number of adjustable components each of which must be free to assume any one of a number of different positions relative to its track, either jointly with or relative to the other component or components. This contributes to flexibility and versatility of the machine which employs the adjustable components.